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St. George reports water savings in Utah's drought

St. George overlook
Posted at 10:54 AM, Oct 21, 2021
and last updated 2021-10-21 12:54:47-04

ST. GEORGE, Utah — Residents conserved millions of gallons of water over the summer in the midst of Utah's historic drought, the city said.

But St. George Mayor Michele Randall said they have much more to do.

In a statement, the City of St. George said that between June 1 and Sept. 30, St. George water customers cut use by 8.22%, or 362 million gallons as compared to the same time frame in 2020. It happened even as the city added nearly 2,000 water connections.

Secondary water use also dropped. The city reported 63 million gallons in savings for outdoor water use, or a 12.73% drop.

"I would like to applaud all those who have stepped up to conserve water," Mayor Randall said in a statement on Thursday. "This doesn’t mean our water challenges are over; we must stay on this course. However, it is a great first step in our efforts to help secure a bright water future in St. George."

In the drought, Mayor Randall has become increasingly aggressive about water conservation in the desert resort community. She called for a review of all city ordinances with an eye toward water conservation, removing turf, halting any future golf courses, and has even called out churches for having lush lawns that no one uses.